Final answer:
A resilient ecosystem can quickly return to its original equilibrium after being disturbed, distinguishing it from resistance. Resilience is about recovery speed, while resistance is about the ability to remain steady during disturbances.
Step-by-step explanation:
An ecosystem that rapidly returns to its original state after a disturbance is referred to as resilient. This resilience refers to the speed at which an ecosystem recovers equilibrium after being disturbed. The concept of resilience is crucial in ecology, especially when considering the impacts of human actions on ecosystems. An ecosystem demonstrating high resilience can quickly bounce back to its steady state, or equilibrium, following environmental disruptions.
Conversely, an ecosystem that lacks resilience might suffer prolonged effects from disturbances, and its ability to recover can be significantly hindered. It’s important to note that this resilience is different from resistance, which is an ecosystem's ability to remain undisturbed or maintain equilibrium despite such disturbances. These concepts are integral to understanding the dynamics of ecosystems and their capacity to withstand changes, whether natural or anthropogenic.